Need Dinner Ideas for 15 Month Old!

I typically gave my dtr what my husband and I were eating. However my dtr also really enjoyed Wacky Mac (veggie noodles) at that age because she could pick it up. I just added a tiny amount of salt, pepper, olive oil and parmasean to it. I found it rather tasty too.

I know it seems like a tough transition at first. My son started wanting to eat independently when he was 10 mos, and he never would eat those Gerber meals. He did love the Gerber diced veggies and fruits, so those were a staple. In addition to that, you can give her anything soft as long as it's cut up into small pieces; pancakes and eggs, waffles, string cheese (cut-up) chicken, boneless fish, cheese ravioli, rotini pasta with either marinara sauce or butter and parmesan. Those are just a few suggestions. Good luck!

My husband makes great little meals for our daughter. Basically we always have frozen veggies (mostly peas), whole grain bread or pancakes, and chicken or turkey on hand. Toast and butter a piece of bread and tear it into little pieces, chop up some meat, and add the veggies. Mix it all together and if it seems dry-just add some chicken broth to moisten it up. The veggies only really need about 30 seconds in the microwave for one serving-the rest can be put in as is. Sounds like a lot of work-that's what I thought at first anyway, but it is really easy. This is great because one day we'll use peas and carrots and the next we'll slip in some fresh zuccini or squash. She loves it. Scoops it right up with her hands. We also will throw a tortilla on a hot pan, sprinkle on some shredded chz and when it starts to melt fold it over and cut into small pieces and serve. Mac & cheese is great too-I do that more for lunches though. Hope this helps.
C.

I agree with the responses that say she should eat what you eat. It's important to expose them to a variety of flavors and textures early so they don't become overly picky eaters. Our kids always eat what we're eating for dinner, or if they need to eat earlier they might get leftovers from the day before. If you don't have time to cook before she needs to eat, make sure to save what you make each day for her to eat the next day. Our kids eat spicy foods (not too spicy), at 1 and 3, and they eat a wide variety of foods. They are good veggie eaters, and like salmon, tofu, and other foods not so popular among kids.
Some ideas I love for lunches- besides leftovers- are sweet potatoes baked in the microwave and diced, beans (black or kidney), cheese melted in a whole grain tortilla, hummus in tortilla, peas, well cooked carrots, mini wheat bagels with cream cheese, diced grilled chicken (I make extra and freeze it) and of course lots of fruits. I really think giving them what we eat helps them later on. It also saves us time and makes us eat better too.

My little guy is 18 months, but he's been eating the same "type" of food for months. Here are some of his dinners when he doesn't eat what we're eating:
* Toasted cheese sandwich
* Waffles/pancakes/french toast sticks
* Mac & Cheese
* Oatmeal
* Spaghetti (messy as can be, but he loves it!)
* Deli meat
* Pieces of grilled or baked chicken
* Chicken nuggets
* Melted cheese with or without ham or chicken on a tortilla
shell
* Noodles with a little butter and Parm. cheese
* Any type of canned fruit or veggie with meals

My son is a good eater...he'll eat pretty much anything these days. Good Luck!

My little one eats just about everything. I give her shepherd's pie, quiche, chicken nuggets (dino from costco), tilapia, tofu with veggies, cous cous with veggies, salmon, salmon spread on toast, pasta with cream sauce, macaroni and cheese, pasta primavera, pasta bolognese, beef stew, curries, lots of different types of veggies (peas, carrots, zuchini, brocoli, cauliflower, spinach, beets,) quesadillas, beans on toast, scrambled eggs on toast, eggs in a cup with bread, scrambled eggs with pesto, omelettes, ham and cheese on toast, roasted veggies (she loves roasted sweet potatos). Then she gets fruit for dessert (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, bananas, peach, nectarine, kiwi, plums etc.) Have fun.

Hi R., My children are all over 24 years of age. Back in the day when they were your daughters age, there weren't any fancy graduates dinners like there are now. So, they were fed table food. They liked to eat many things as finger food. So, things like green beans, cooked carrots, Small mouthful sized pieces of meat or fish, and small pieces of fruit, and of course cherrios. It was fun figuring out what they liked and how they liked to eat it.
Good luck. A.

I would just make what you and your husband will be eating early and give her some of that. Make sure it's not too spicy or an allergen, but there not reason to make two meals at night. You can fill her meal out with fruit and veggies. This way she'll get use to regular food. By the way.. I agree with "family" dinners when possible, but she's seeing you eat on weekends and during lunch. She'll be fine socially. It's important that you get sometime to eat with your husband. That relationship is important too. Just do what works for you, she'll be fine.

Things Brian loves for dinner: veggie burgers, chicken breast nuggets, turkey meatballs, fish sticks, popcorn shrimp (I sprinkle some lemon juice on, he loves that), meatloaf, meatballs, macaroni and cheese, etc. Brian hated all of the graduates meals.

Good luck!

I also have a 15 month old. He is ready to eat dinner shortly after I get home from work so I need to be organized or he has a meltdown. Sunday night I try to make ahead a few dinner dishes for the week or make dishes to put in the freezer. I also feel it is very important to have a "family dinner"; my husband does not get home until after baby is in bed so baby & I eat together. My baby eats 99% same thing as me, just modified - cut up and less spicy. This week we are having, chili,stuffed green pepper, grilled salmon, grilled chicken & frozen veggies, pasta & meatballs, creamed spinach,last week we had liver (onions and bacon for me). My baby loves black bean! Very nutricious and just pop open a can! I am not a fan of the Gerber graduates although they are great for busy days. I am a firm believer in exposing your baby to a wide variety of foods. Baby doesn't know that brocolli & spinach is yucky! Just use common sense - no allergens or chocking hazzards! good luck!

I was always concerned with the sodium content on those Gerber Graduate dinners. I opted to make my own little meals, it took a bit of prep time each week, but it really made things easier in the end. It would prepare 5-6 different kind of meats, cut them up into bite-size pieces, and divide them up into the little snack containers, one for each day, rotating the order. Then I would prepare some pastas, rice, potato, barley, etc., and add a portion of that to the container, and then steam a bunch of vegetables (frozen works great) and add that. I would then stick them all in the freezer and put one in the fridge the day before and just stick in the microwave on defrost. I would also freeze all the remaining cooked meats, carbs and veggies to use the next week, and just pull them out a few days before to defrost.

My husband thought I was crazy, but it worked for me.....that is, until my daughter stopped eating, but that's a story for another day!

I know your husband works late and that you would like to eat with him, but it is very important that your daughter eat "family" dinners. She needs to eat what you eat and watch you eat. My husband worked second shift and will be returning to that next year, so I know how hard it is to make dinner for the kids when your husband is not there, but that is how your kids learn to eat right and socialize with you.

I have done chicken nuggets cut up of course with some veggies. My 14 month old also likes grilled cheese cut up into cubes. Pretty much anything I make for dinner, I just cut up into little pieces and she loves them. I have tried pork chops, sausage, potatoes, bologna and cheese with bread. Hopefully some of those ideas will work. I know what you mean about them getting tired of the Gerber meals. Have you tried the ravioli? They come in several different flavors and my daughter still loves them.

Really you can feed your daughter anything that you eat. I would just cut it really small. We like to keep frozen vegetables in the freezer along with meatballs and other easy foods like chicken nuggets. Fruit cups--these are just quick ideas--I know fresh is better but things seem to go bad fast in my house. I would cut meats really small--My 2 1/2 yr old son has trouble chewing it sometimes.

I agree with what the other moms say about homemade food vs. "toddler" meals. I wish that I had gotten our son into regular food at an early age! What I would do is fix a meal that's kid-appropriate (nothing spicy or allergenic), like spaghetti, for example. Give that meal to you and your husband and then save a small portion for your daughter to eat the next night. Just rotate the meals so you never have to fix anything special.

I also read an interesting article in Cookie Magazine that suggests "deconstructing" adult meals so that toddlers can enjoy them, too. For example, if you're making a Cobb salad, you and your husband can have all the ingredients together, but some cheese cubes, hard boiled egg and chopped tomatoes make a great meal of finger foods for your daughter.

And in response to the "family meal" comments, of course that is ideal but not always practical. So that your daughter doesn't have to "eat alone", could you maybe have a salad or a small bowl of soup with her, sort of as an appetizer? Eat something that wouldn't spoil your appetite or cause you to overeat, but at least something that would let you enjoy a meal together.

Good luck! I can't wait to get our new daughter hooked on all the good foods when she gets old enough!

My daughter loves refried beans. Super easy to make and I make it along with an easy quesadilla. Just throw the tortilla filled with cheese (or add a meat too). Microwave for less than 1 minute and you've got yourself a dinner. I use a pizza cutter to cut into smaller pieces that my daughter can pick up herself. I sometimes throw in avocado too. Mac and Cheese is another one I do for my daughter. I am in the same situation, that many times my husband is not home in time to eat with us so I make her something else. If you want easy, frozen... Amy's Organic makes frozen kids meals that they sell at Whole Foods. Fish sticks, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, a lot of the same food we have at lunch time.

Meatloaf, a well-steamed veggie, and mashed potatoes! Do not forget to get the camera out!!! Your daughter will have a blast.

The other two posts have great ideas. I just have a couple of things to add. My little boy loved (and still does)scrambled eggs. I also kept a bag of frozen Italian meatballs and ravioli in the freezer for substitute meals.
I would also partially cook a pound of pasta, usually rotini noodles, and freeze them in muffin tins. They made good serving sizes. When I was ready to serve them, I just added a little bit of water and microwaved them for a few seconds. Frozen veggies are easy to prepare too, expecially when our veggie at dinner is salad or something else a toddler isn't interested in. Good Luck!

I haven't read all of your responses yet, but the book Super Baby Food really helped me a lot. Pasta, tiny bites of chicken or beef, scrambled eggs, black beans and brown rice...hope this helps.

Hi R.

Use your imagination. I am assuming your little one has plenty of teeth so that shouldn't be a problem. Cheese( cut in little squares or cubes) with crackers,lunch meats cut in bite-size pieces,even hot dogs cut in small slices and in 1/2 again to get down without choking,peeled apple or pear slices. Jello cubes,mac and cheese as long as it's not real creamy,peas (Cooked or not),carrots cooked or thin sliced raw,hard boiked egg cut in quarters,bkd potato or sweet potato chunked,hash brown patties or tater tots. The list is endless if you stop and think about some of the things you eat yourself. If you are worried whether or not you are doing the right thing,go to the local hospital and ask for a dietitian who can give you ideas suitable for your little one's age. Good luck either way you go....you'll even surprise yourself with your creativity. J.

We have an 18month old so, I'm right there with you!

We all have different ideas about what we should or shouldn't feed our kids. However, I think those graduate meals seem pretty gross and are filled with, well fillers.

I agree with those who have suggested making ONE meal and giving the baby portions of that. My husband also works late, (He's a bartender so REALLY late!) so I know just how you feel. However, the baby gets used to a variety of foods (that can, as suggested be filled out with things like fruit and veggies and cheerios) and I've also noticed that my own eating habits have changed for the better since we been preparing consciously balanced and nutrious meals (and my cooking skills are improving too!)

Good luck!